1. Field
The information disclosed in this patent relates to systems to feed animals.
2. Background Information
Deer hunting is a time-honored recreational activity of hunting deer. Hunters pursue numerous types of deer throughout the world, with the white-tailed deer being the most common hunted type in America. Deer hunting has become essential in North America due to the dense population of deer in the eastern United States. This large population yearly results in around 1.5 million vehicle accidents, 130 vehicle-related deaths, and over $1 billion in insurance claims.
To allow for more-bountiful hunting, hunters try to encourage deer to feed in the same general area. Some hunters plant crops solely to attract and keep deer at a particular location to be hunted later. However, these food plots are expensive. In addition, they are inefficient as they attract many kinds of animals, not just those to be hunted.
Game feeders are a more effective method to attract and keep deer at a particular location. Some game feeders are round barrels that sit atop a tripod while others are hung from a tree. Rather than accommodate various types of feed, such as apples, ear corn, and grain, typical game feeders only accommodate grain-style feed, which most deer trample into the ground uneaten. In addition, typical game feeders do not dispense feed automatically over a period of days and thus do not aid a hunter in manipulating and controlling the feeding habits of deer in the area. Further, typical grain feeders do not accommodate large quantities of food, which causes a hunter to return repeatedly to the feeder to fill it.
What is needed is a system to feed animals, including deer and other game, to overcome these and other problems.